I got there at 8:45 on a Saturday, and the line was already out the door. Not the whole way to the parking lot, but enough that I thought about leaving. I didn’t, and I’m glad—because forty minutes later I was sitting at a small table near the window at Fin & Honey on 38th Avenue North, watching the kitchen move and eating one of the better breakfasts I’ve had in this town.
Fin & Honey is a brunch-focused spot that sits in a quieter stretch of the Grand Strand, away from the congestion of Ocean Boulevard. The building is small, the parking is tight, and the vibe is somewhere between beach-casual and an actual café that cares about the food. Mismatched chairs, natural light, a chalkboard specials board you actually want to read.
The menu doesn’t try to do everything. That’s the first good sign. Shrimp and grits is the anchor dish, and it shows up on almost every table around you. Mine came with a tomato-cream gravy, house andouille, and a scattering of green onion—real Lowcountry structure, not a gimmick version for tourists. The grits themselves were stone-ground and had that slight bite they’re supposed to have. Twelve or thirteen dollars, I think. Worth every bit of it.
I also ordered the crab cake benedict on a whim because I saw it go past and it looked right. Two crab cakes—not filler-heavy—sitting on griddled English muffins, topped with poached eggs and a bright hollandaise. The eggs were done correctly, which sounds like a low bar but isn’t always cleared here. That plate ran closer to seventeen dollars. Split the difference with the grits and you’re leaving well-fed for under thirty before tip, which is reasonable for what you’re getting.
The coffee is from a local roaster, poured strong, and refilled without being asked. That detail matters more than it sounds at 9 in the morning.
Service is friendly in a way that doesn’t feel performed. Our server was juggling a full room and still stopped to actually answer when I asked which she’d order between two dishes. She said the shrimp and grits without hesitating. She was right.
A few things to know going in: they don’t take reservations, and the wait on weekends is real. Weekday mornings are considerably calmer—I’ve been on a Thursday and walked straight to a table. They stop seating for brunch service in the early afternoon, so don’t show up expecting a 2 p.m. run. Cash and card both work.
What keeps me coming back is that Fin & Honey doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be a destination. It just makes good food in a modest room, and the regulars who pack it every weekend morning have clearly figured that out. Bring something to read if you’re going solo on a Saturday. The wait passes faster than you’d think, and what comes after it is worth the patience.
